1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to curing assemblies and, in particular, this invention relates to assemblies curing UV-curable ink or coating on a substrate.
2. Background
High intensity LED devices present great challenges in designing thermal and optical energy and optical energy management. One particular problem when designing LED light-emitting systems is that one must focus high levels of narrow or spot-focused energy in limited or small spaces, at heat-sensitive locations, or in otherwise hazardous locations. These applications may require a physically compact, low heat-emitting, focused (non-scattered) and electrically or intrinsically safe light source device at the working location. One typical application where these problems exist is, but is not limited to, curing UV (Ultraviolet) curing ink in an ink jet printing device, more specifically, the “pinning” or pre-curing (gelling) of dispensed UV ink jet printing ink. Following the dispensing of ink jet ink onto a substrate a “pinning” function is often employed. Ink jet heads must be grouped closely together when multiple colors are used to produce sharp clear images, whereas if not, the ink has a tendency to “sag” or blend together, thereby obscuring the crispness or sharpness of the image being printed. Because ink jet printing “heads” or nozzles must be grouped tightly together when multiple ink colors are dispensed, this gives rise to the need to employ the device disclosed herein. Further, the non-focused or randomly scattered light energy typically present in UV LED devices utilized for this purpose causes the UV ink to cure or gel on the heads or nozzles, thus impairing function, the impaired function resulting in reduced quality of printed media and an increase in maintenance time to clean the heads.
Additionally when pinning ink printed on substrates, the present known curing devices require the ink jets to be separated so as to allow these curing devices to deliver sufficient radiation to the ink on the printed substrate. This separation often results in a printed substrate having less than optimal clarity.
There is then a need for a curing device which cures ink with a radiation pattern which is flexible in shape and intensity, but which transmits little or no heat to the substrate being radiated and which minimizes the distance between ink jets.